# 1974 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

The 1974 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1974 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third year under head coach Cal Stoll, the Golden Gophers compiled a 4–7 record and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 332 to 161.
Linebacker Ollie Bakken received the team's Most Valuable Player award. Tackle Keith Simons was named All-Big Ten first team. Bakken and wide receiver Rick Upchurch were named All-Big Ten second team.
Total attendance for the season was 225,127, which averaged to 37,521. The season high for attendance was against rival Iowa.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 14 | No. 4 Ohio State | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | L 19–34 | 45,511 |
| September 21 | North Dakota* | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | W 42–30 | 34,870 |
| September 28 | TCU* | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | W 9–7 | 32,822 |
| October 5 | at No. 6 Nebraska* | Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE (rivalry) | L 0–54 | 76,408 |
| October 12 | at Indiana | Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN | L 3–34 | 34,102 |
| October 19 | Iowa | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN (rivalry) | W 23–17 | 48,579 |
| October 26 | at No. 3 Michigan | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (Little Brown Jug) | L 0–49 | 96,284 |
| November 2 | Northwestern | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | L 13–21 | 32,922 |
| November 9 | at Purdue | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | W 24–20 | 51,374 |
| November 16 | Illinois | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | L 14–17 | 31,423 |
| November 23 | at Wisconsin | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI (rivalry) | L 14–49 | 55,869 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game |||||

## Game summaries
### Ohio State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 7 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
| Minnesota | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 19 |
at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: September 14, 1974
* Game weather: Sunny • 69 °F (21 °C) • Wind 18 miles per hour (29 km/h; 16 kn)
* Game attendance: 45,511
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
OSU – Archie Griffin 10-yard run (Tom Skladany kick), 9:31. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards.
MINN – Steve Goldberg 52-yard field goal, 1:56. Ohio St 7–3. Drive:
Second quarter
OSU – Pete Johnson 4-yard run (Tom Skladany kick), 12:59. Ohio St 14–3. Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards.
OSU – Champ Henson 36-yard run (Tom Skladany kick), 9:25. Ohio St 21–3. Drive: 4 plays, 59 yards.
Third quarter
OSU – Cornelius Greene 1-yard run (Tom Skladany kick), 11:26. Ohio St 28–3. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards.
Fourth quarter 3
MINN – Rick Upchurch 36-yard run (pass good), 9:29. Ohio St 28–11. Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards.
MINN – Tony Dungy 6-yard run (pass good), 5:14. Ohio St 28–19. Drive: 5 plays, 16 yards.
OSU – Cornelius Greene 57-yard run (kick failed), 1:17. Ohio St 34–19. Drive: 9 plays, 86 yards.
Top passers
OSU – Cornelius Greene – 9/12, 136 yards
MINN – Tony Dungy – 5/19, 71 yards, INT
Top rushers
OSU – Archie Griffin – 26 rushes, 133 yards, TD
MINN – Rick Upchurch – 13 rushes, 107 yards, TD
Top receivers
OSU – Dave Hazel – 3 receptions, 63 yards
MINN – Rick Upchurch – 3 receptions, 50 yards :
Steve Goldberg broke his own school record for longest field goal in the first quarter.